Parker's Revenge

Parker's Revenge was the name given to a phase of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, in which 500 Patriot militiamen under Captain John Parker ambushed Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Smith's 700-strong British column as it withdrew to Boston from Lexington.

Lieutenant-Colonel Smith's column, having searched the town of Concord, Massachusetts for rebel supplies, decided to begin a strategic withdrawal towards Boston. Smith had been expecting a 1,000-strong relief column under Hugh Percy to arrive and reinforce him, but the column was hours overdue. Smith's forces were forced to march towards Boston through curvy roads in the woods, and 500 militiamen assembled to the south of the road on Brooks Hill. They ambushed the British column, and the British suffered significant losses when attempting to charge up the hill to drive the Patriots from their positions. The British pulled back from their assault on Brooks Hill, instead crossing a bridge into Lincoln at Brooks Tavern. More militia companies intensified the attack from the north side of the road, and, at "Bloody Angle", the Woburn militia company opened fire on the British from two sides. The British, who were unused to fighting against guerrillas, were picked off from their firing lines by militiamen who were positioned behind the cover of trees. The British continued to be attacked as they marched towards Boston, to the point where only one British officer was uninjured (Smith himself had been shot in the thigh), and the British were fatigued and out of ammunition. At 2:30 PM, twelve-and-a-half hours after the start of Smith's march towards Concord, Smith's column met with Percy's relief column, and Smith's men stopped to rest.